Sunday, May 20, 2007

Tough Club 4

Remember the Holistic Health Framework that angry doc blogged about a while back? The programme that promised us that "schools’ health promotion efforts will now include physical, mental and social health"?

Well, they certainly are keeping their promise, because they now no longer just pick on fat kids for being fat and make them run laps.

SINGAPORE : Obesity in children may have a negative effect on their academic performance.

This was revealed at a seminar on obesity by the National Heart Foundation and the National Institute of Education.

Obesity among children in Singapore is on the rise: the number with weight problems having doubled in just 30 years.

Researchers at the seminar say obesity not only increases the risk of other health problems as they get older, but may also affect their brain activity.

Another finding is that obese children in America tend to suffer from inferiority complex and low self-esteem.

One researcher here suggests that parents can boost their children's confidence by praising them often to make them aware of their strengths.

Professor Ho Lai Yun, Senior Consultant Paediatrician, SGH, said: "Basically there shouldn't be any academic difference between children who are overweight and average weight. But because of the way we are treating them, they are already thinking they are not so good, they are already thinking that they're not so confident.

"So when you think you're not so good, the level that you set for yourself will be low, and of course you may not be performing well, compared to other children."

Wow. Fat kids have low self-esteem? angry doc would never have known that if all these experts didn't tell him so.